


Where Do We Begin, The Rubble or Our Sins?

by JustLikeInMyDream



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 8th year, Apologies, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Grown-Up Stuff, Love After War, M/M, Sequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25321879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustLikeInMyDream/pseuds/JustLikeInMyDream
Summary: The war is over, but the destruction it leaves behind is more than enough to cause dramatic changes to the landscape of the Wizarding World. Death Eaters are in Azkaban, Hogwarts needs rebuilt, and certain Purebloods are putting in the effort to become upstanding citizens of society. Despite all this, Hermione and Draco take slow steps towards their future together.Sequel to You're My King and I'm Your Lionheart. Post Deathly Hallows.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood, Seamus Finnigan/Dean Thomas
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	1. Sign of the Times

One - Sign of the Times

_just stop your crying  
_ _have the time of your life  
_ _breaking through the atmosphere  
_ _and things are pretty good from here  
_ _remember everything will be alright_  
 _we can meet again somewhere  
_ _somewhere far away from here_

_It rained._

_It rained._

_And it rained._

The rain drenched her body, including the three layers of clothes she was wearing, and soaked her hair and shoes thoroughly. It washed away the dirt and blood that had clung to her like a new layer of skin.

They say rain is supposed to be a sign of renewal, of beginnings, of change. But it could also mean the skies were weeping for the dead and the misfortunes of those who tried so hard to be good.

It felt like all those things to Hermione as she stood in the courtyard. The war was over, meaning change was afoot and new things were to begin soon. The war was over, but not without its sacrifices and misdeeds. But still … the war was over.

Suddenly, a hand appeared on her shoulder. She glanced to her left and saw the outline of Harry’s face. He looked tired, concerned, curious, and sad all at once. He gestured for her to follow him (and Ron) and she did just that all the way to the bridge. It was a miracle the thing was still standing after the beating it took, what with the spells, the cement soldiers, and Seamus’ _booms_.

“So … what now?” Ron broke the silence first and Hermione couldn’t help but smile at his attempt to pull her and Harry out of their thoughts.

“Well, I can think of one thing,” Harry mumbled and took his broken wand out of his pocket. With the Elder Wand in hand, he muttered _Reparo_ and the broken pieces mended together, sparks shooting out of it.

“So, how is the Elder Wand your’s exactly?” Ron asked, sounding dazed and confused.

Harry grinned at Hermione and she knew why — he wanted to show her that he’s proud of Draco for doing the right thing — and then said, “When I revealed myself to be alive, Malfoy threw me his wand. He willingly gave me control of his wand.”

“But he was using his mother’s wand, not his own.”

“Doesn’t matter — _he_ disarmed Dumbledore on the night he died, not Snape,” Harry explained. “That’s why the wand didn’t respond to Tom the right way. He thought Snape was the master of the Elder Wand, but it was really Draco.”

“And now _you_ are the wand’s master,” Hermione added absentmindedly. The rain let up a little, but the sky was still dark. More rain was on the way.

“Well … what’re you gonna do with it?” Ron asked.

Harry grinned a little before taking the wand in two hands and snapping it in half.

Ron’s squeak showed his disapproval. Hermione merely snorted.

“It’s caused enough trouble,” he commented and threw each piece off either sides of the bridge. “And quite frankly … I’ve had enough trouble for a lifetime.”

*.*.*.*

The injured were transported to St. Mungo’s, and the House Elves made food for the survivors to eat. McGonagall, now the Headmistress of Hogwarts, sat with the remaining professors at one of the tables in the Great Hall, undoubtably discussing the events that had just transpired and what it meant for the rest of the Wizarding World. Their conversation soon shifted to what steps to take next regarding schooling, end-of-the-year testing, and the students’ wellbeing.

“Are we going to finish the school year?”

“Have the students even learned enough to take the NEWTs or the OWLs?”

“Should we send the students home?”

“Should we just start over in September?”

“Everyone!” McGonagall said in a firm voice, commanding their attention. “There’s a lot of questions, but we need to first and foremost fix the castle. Some of the structural damage makes places in the castle unstable.”

“Well, how do we fix it?” Slughorn asked. “And while we fix it, do the students stay?”

“You’ve read _Hogwarts, a History_ enough times Miss Granger — what do you think about restoring the castle?” McGonagall asked Hermione.

She looked at the older woman, slightly surprised to hear her asking for an opinion. “I don’t know. I mean … the outside of Hogwarts can be rebuilt easily, it’s just blocks of cement going back into place. The real magic is inside the walls … and will therefore be much more difficult.” She gestured to the air above them. “The Great Hall no longer has an enchanted ceiling — it’s just beams and rafters. The stairwells no longer move, the spells have been broken. The paintings and photographs are ruined, and the subjects are no longer in the correct frames. The Room of Requirement … was burned to the ground with Fiendfyre. It’s a mess.”

“Do you think there’s a chance of getting it back?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Well — yeah,” Slughorn nodded.

Hermione shrugged, “I dunno. Maybe.”

“If anyone can do it, it’s you ‘Mione.” Harry said encouragingly. She almost wished he hadn’t put so much faith in her. The Room was so intricate with the amount of magic put into its creation — it’s unlikely she could recreate it. It would be a long process to decide if it was capable of being rebuilt.

Neville inserted his opinion as well. “Depending on the stability of the dormitories, the students should either be sent home or exams should be cancelled.” McGonagall nodded slowly in agreement.

They decided it’s probably best to put the building back together, with a few witches and wizards each taking a section of the castle. They spread out, covering from the greenhouses, where Severus Snape’s body still lay in death, all the way to the Ravenclaw Tower, where Amycus and Alecto attacked Harry and Luna.

Broken chunks of cement and broken glass from window panes flew back into place on the walls. Portrait frames returned to the walls and stairwells regained their banisters. Watching the castle that she loves so much get put back together gave Hermione goosebumps.

McGonagall gathered the students who hadn’t fled the castle and announced the Hogwarts Express would be arriving on Tuesday to take them home. NEWTs and OWLs and all final tests were cancelled, and anyone above 17 was allowed to stay and help with fixing the castle.

Slytherins crawled out of their common room, and many realized their parents had either died or been captured and sent to Azkaban, like Draco. While some may have seen this as an opportunity to gloat and say “I told you so,” Neville and Luna approached them with kindness and empathy and surprisingly, Pansy Parkinson was the first to shake their hands. Pansy, who had Death Eaters for parents, smiled at their benevolence. She had said and done things that hurt a lot of students in the school, but if the two of the most picked-on students can put aside past events, she can too.

McGonagall once again gathered those still around and announced that, with the school officially closing Tuesday morning, they would begin repairs then. Witches and wizards would pair or trio up and then be assigned places in the castle to fix. McGonagall would oversee a lot of it, while doing her own work, all while finding new professors for the coming year.

She pulled Hermione aside after allowing people to leave. Some lingered to see if they could catch what the two women were going to talk about.

“How are you, Hermione?” McGonagall asked with concern in her voice.

She smiled at her professor’s worried face, “I’m okay, thank you. I want to contribute to the Hogwarts reconstruction, but there are so many things I have to do first.”

“Like visiting Mr. Malfoy, perhaps?” McGonagall remarked.

“Perhaps.”

*.*.*.*

Azkaban was worse than she imagined. All the images from the _Prophet_ melded into one big mental picture, and it fell short of just how horrible the triangular prison was. Hermione stood outside the gates for longer than she cared to mention before plucking up the courage and going inside.

“Kingsley,” she blurted the man’s name as soon as she recognized him and before realizing it was rude. He, however, didn’t seem to mind the interruption to his conversation and approached her.

“Hermione, are you here to …” he trailed off, not quite sure if she wanted others to know why she was there.

She smiled, grateful for his tact. “If you’ll let me.”

“Anything for part of the Golden Trio.” He turned towards the lift and motioned for her to follow.

“I hear you’re going to be the Minister of Magic, congratulations.”

“It’s not official yet —”

“You’re doing a wonderful job in this aftermath, if anyone deserves the job, it’s you, Kingsley.”

He smiled at her and nodded. “It was never a goal of mine, but I feel like I could do the job justice.”

“You would,” Hermione smiled.

The lift dinged, and Kingsley led her to a small room with a table and three chairs. He told her to wait for a moment and left her alone. Unable to sit still, she paced the length of the room, removed her jacket, and fiddled with a loose thread on her shirt sleeve.

Just when she was starting to wonder if something was wrong, Kingsley returned with Draco in tow, still bound by the magical handcuffs. He hadn’t been put into an Azkaban uniform yet. They didn’t say anything until Kingsley removed the cuffs and stepped out of the room.

“How much time do you think we have?” Draco murmured, stepping close to her. He used his forefinger to gently push some hair that had fallen out of her face.

She slowly inhaled to calm herself, “I don’t know.” He hesitantly placed a hand on her lower back and they fell together, hugging each other tight.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner,” she mumbled into his chest. “McGonagall asked me to help with the rebuilding, and we got the castle itself put back together. Now, we need to work on the inside.”

He was reluctant to let go of her, and she didn’t make any move to leave the constraints of his arms. “It’s good you’re doing that though.”

She pulled back a little to look at his face — it was pale and still dirty from the Battle but he was smiling down at her. “Are you with your mother … in the cell?”

“No, they separated all of us. I think the guards are afraid that some of them will try to murder other members. But, I think they should be more afraid of them killing themselves.”

“They’re that desperate to be free?” Hermione asked in disbelief.

“No, they’re that desperate to be with the Dark Lord,” he said in a mocking tone.

“Oh …”

“Love, don’t worry about me.”

“I’m not worried about you, D. I’m just scared.”

“Scared of?”

“You leaving … or being taken away from me.”

“I’m not leaving you, ‘Mione — I know that for me, it’s you and only you from here on out. I can only promise to be careful and not push you away — again. Life without you in it is doable, and but if I have a choice, I want to do it with you by my side. I’m not running away from the amount of work that will make it happen.”

She shuddered at the sincerity of his words and he wrapped her in his arms once more. Even through the dirt and grime, she could still smell him — apples, parchment, and aftershave. It gave her a sense of calm, a sense of clarity. “I don’t want you to … run away, and I can only hope I can do the same for you.”

“Relationships grow and change as the people in it grow and change. But we’ll do it together, okay?”

She nodded and smiled. “It sounds silly, but I have to ask, are we together again?”

He chuckled and nodded affirmatively. “Forever and ever.”

It was cheesy, but that’s what they needed. The reassurance that they would be there for each other during this tough time of transition. It’s inevitable, their relationship will come out and people will react with varying feelings of displeasure and acceptance, but as long as they accept each other, everything would be fine.

All would be well.


	2. Two - Carry On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally messed up, I posted chapter three as chapter two, my bad. I have fixed it and posted the real chapter two and I will post the real chapter three shortly.

_‘cause we are  
_ _we are shining stars  
_ _we are invincible  
_ _we are who we are  
_ _on our darkest day  
_ _when we’re miles away_  
_so we’ll come  
_ _we will find our way home_

Several days after the war and almost a hundred hours of a sleep later, Hermione awoke and ate and put real clothes on to venture into this strange new world they’ve created. There were reporters waiting to attack the minute she left Grimmauld Place, which was where she was currently staying, because it seemed a little too imposing on the Weasleys to stay at the Burrow. Molly had offered, but both she and Harry declined.

Hermione almost expected the war to be over and Harry and Ginny to immediately get back in a relationship, but since Fred’s death was the ultimate shock, they hadn’t actually spoken to each other very much. She didn’t know if that meant their reuniting would be postponed, but Ginny had been despondent after Harry broke up with her, and frankly so had he, but they were truly meant to be together.

The Burrow was quiet when she Flooed over. Ron and Charlie were outside, likely degnoming the yard again, just to have something to do. Percy was reading in the nook in the living room, and he waved at Hermione as she exited the fireplace.

“Hermione, hi,” Ginny said and hugged her. “What brings you here?”

“I wanted to let you and Ron know that I’ll be leaving this evening. I have some things I have to do.”

“Oh, do you need me to come with you?” She offered.

“No … no it’s personal. I’m … I’m going to find my parents,” Hermione declared with a hint of worry in her voice.

“Oh, I forgot that you did … what you did. Where are they?”

“Hopefully still in Australia. If they left, it will be harder to locate them.”

Ginny smiled sadly. Even though Fred’s death hurt every day, she couldn’t imagine the pain and the guilt Hermione would feel if she couldn’t find her parents. “When are you leaving?”

“Kingsley set up a Portkey for my departure at 11 tonight, which means it will be 8 in the morning when I get there.”

“The time change will be rough.” Hermione shrugged at her comment, honestly not concerned by it. “But it will be great when you’re all reunited.”

“That’s the dream,” she chuckled. Looking outside, she noted Arthur joining Ron and Charlie. “How your mum?”

Ginny cleared her throat and looked away. “She hasn’t left her bed in days. George either. They’re barely eating. Dad is trying to get her up and down to the kitchen to eat, but it isn’t working. I think only time can make all of us better.”

Hermione nodded in agreement.

*.*.*.*.*

Arriving in Australia gave Hermione culture shock. The Australian Wizarding community was in the midst of a week-long jubilee and the Ministry was hardly doing any work. The Minister greeted Hermione and spoke to her with reverence. “Being one of the three to take down Voldemort” was cause for great commendations.

“I had no idea _the_ Hermione Granger’s parents were here in my country,” he said as they settled into his office.

“Well, they don’t know they’re my parents.” Hermione admitted, and then continued to explain at the Minister’s confusion. “I obliviated their memories to protect them from Lord Voldemort. They have no idea I exist. I will need help reconstructing these memories, maybe with a memory specialist? I read they could help with this.”

“You’re right, I can actually have one memory specialist come here to help. Do you need anything else?”

“I guess just a list of the residents in Australia, magical and Muggle. I altered their names to Monica and Wendell Wilkins.”

“I can get you that,” the Minister puffed out his chest in pride, knowing he’s doing something to help one of the saviors of the Wizarding World.

It didn’t take more than a day and a half to find them, living in small house by the seaside and the Sydney Opera House. Hermione watched them sit on the porch, swaying in the porch swing without a care in the world. The scene before her almost made her second-guess what she was about to do. They looked so happy without her.

But they didn’t know she existed, so.

The memory specialist walked with her to the porch, where Hermione thought she saw something flash in her father’s eyes, but he shook himself out of it just as fast. She had planned a whole conversation to get them inside and then cast the spells, but when she had their attention, the words wouldn’t come out.

“Hi, can we help you hun?”

The sound of her mother’s voice made Hermione start tearing up, and the specialist noticed this. He cast a Disillusionment spell to prevent any passers-by to see the magic (literally) that was about to happen.

“What are you —”

She held her breath and the memory specialist wizard cast the spells one by one onto her parents. Their eyes glazed over and their jaws went slack during the process. A few moments after he cast the last spell, their eyes slowly refocused and latched onto their daughter standing before them.

“Oh, oh … oh, Hermione!” The feeling of her mother’s arms encircling her caused Hermione to start crying. It had been so long since she felt her mum’s love. With everything the Trio experienced in the last year — okay, the last seven years — Hermione felt much older than 18. It felt like she had already lived a lifetime, and yet she had her whole future ahead.

“I’m very confused,” Thomas noted, breaking Hermione out of her thoughts and causing her to laugh, and he too cried and hugged his daughter.

The three of them, feeling overwhelmed in the moment, huddled together and cried.

*.*.*.*.*

With the return of Thomas and Jean Granger, Hermione was considerably happier. Although she was still mourning the death of people she considered friends and families, having her parents back made it easier to muddle through. Now she needed Draco to be cleared and discharged from Azkaban, but that would take some more time.

The family home was repurchased and everything was moved back in, including Hermione. She updated her bedroom however, as she was no longer 7 and obsessed with purple. Thomas and she painted the walls a light blue color and they purchased more adult furniture. Hermione finally had a larger size bed, a bigger desk, and a new dresser. She felt good making these changes, almost like she was letting go of the past and looking forward to a better future.

When she saw Harry on that Sunday, she offered the spare bedroom to Harry, but he said no.

“I don’t want you to be alone at Grimmauld Place by yourself. It’s a big place to be alone with your thoughts and Kreacher,” she expressed her concerns to which he nodded his head in understanding.

“I won’t be alone … I’m thinking of turning it into a house for children orphaned from the war. I can fix it up and have the kids stay there and heal there with professional help. I’m gonna call is Harry Potter’s House for Orphaned Children. What do you think?”

Hermione almost cried at his utterance. “I think it’s a great idea. I think you’re going to benefit from having them around and the children will benefit from your presence.”

“Thank you, I’ve been thinkin’ about it for a while, during the month we were here last year. All the bedrooms, the giant kitchen — it would be a good sanctuary for anyone who’s been orphaned, even if they’re 17.”

“I think it’s great.”

“I’m going to meet Teddy today. I’m exceptionally nervous.”

“That’s exciting!” she exclaimed, smiling wide.

“Do you want to come with me? Andromeda would be okay with it. She’s been watching him for the last week and she thought it was time for me to meet my godson.”

“Yeah, I would love to come and meet him! I told Kingsley that I would like to meet with Draco tonight so I’ll have to leave in a few hours.”

“That’ll be enough time to get to know him and play with him. Hopefully he likes me.”

“I don’t think anyone wouldn’t like you Harry.”

They Apparated to Andromeda’s house, where Tonks and Remus had been living during the last year and where Teddy was born, in time to see Teddy wake up from his little afternoon nap. Harry, having never held a baby before, was trained how to hold him by Andromeda, who really preferred to be just called “Dromeda.”

Finally situated in the sofa and holding Teddy the right way, Harry, Hermione, and Dromeda chatted over tea. Teddy, only a month old, made little gurgling noises and held Harry’s finger in a vice-like grip. Hermione smiled at the them, grateful his worries received no confirmation. Eventually she held him as well, and Dromeda admitted to Harry that she didn’t think she could raise another child by herself.

“Sirius, my godfather, wanted nothing more than to help raise me when my parents died and when he came back when I was 13. I would be honored to help raise him. I’m actually turning the house Sirius left me into a place for orphaned children, so Teddy would have other children around.”

Hermione almost lost track of the time staring at Teddy and his inability to control his changing hair color and his bright blue eyes that stared up at her. He was warm and he smelled wonderful and he never got fussy.

He was a lovely baby.

*.*.*.*.*

“I don’t think stripes are your pattern.”

“Is that so?”

Hermione sighed and eyeballed him, then shook her head and giggled. He shrugged and moved toward her slowly. “What pattern is mine?”

“Solids.” She said firmly and laughed.

He delighted in her laughter and hugged her tightly, “I can live with that, I suppose.”

She sighed in content while in his arms, “I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too, love,” he whispered.

“I found my parents a few days ago. Everyone is safe and back in London.”

“Oh, good. Did they get the old house back?”

“Yeah, we’ve put all the furniture back and my room got a little remodel, so to speak. It’ll be nice for us.”

“Us?” He smiled into her hair.

“Well, I figure that when you get out … you’ll need somewhere to stay, and if you don’t want to live at the Manor, you can come home with me.”

“Coming home with you sounds wonderful.”

She giggled again, “That’s good then.”

They stand together, holding each other close, listening to the sounds of each other breathing.

“The funerals are this week,” Hermione mentioned quietly.

“A full week of funerals. Which one is first?”

“Tonks and Remus. They died together, they get buried together. I’m in charge of Teddy during the service.”

“Teddy?”

“Oh, I forgot you didn’t know. Tonks and Remus got married and they had a baby, Teddy, in April. Then they died in the battle, leaving him behind. Harry is his godfather. He’s actually your cousin!”

“That’s … I don’t have the words to describe the bitter irony of those events. But I’d like to meet him when I’m out.”

They separate and sit at the table. Hermione holds her breath before asking the following question, “Have they set dates for hearings yet?”

“I think towards the end of next week is the ‘Malfoy Day of Hearings.’ Mine and my mum’s are in the morning and my father’s in is the afternoon.”

She nods, “We’ll be there. Harry will make a statement, maybe I’ll make a statement, I don’t know, I just need you to get out of here.”

“I know … I know. I can’t wait to be out, but it’s possible —”

She grabs his hand, “Please don’t say it —”

“— that I won’t get out right away,” he finished the sentence anyway.

She shook her head, “No, you’re getting out. I don’t care if I have to break you out of here, you’re getting out.”

“We’re not going to break any rules, ‘Mione. We’ve done enough of that, I’ve done enough of that. We will be okay.”

“I will not be okay if you don’t get out,” she whimpered. “I don’t want to sound like a damsel in distress but I am in distress. I cannot be without you any more of my life.”

“You aren’t without me, you’ll never be without me, I promise. I love you. If Harry uses his influence, I could get out faster.”

“I just … I need you with me,” Hermione murmurs, tracing his palm. “I need you to come home with me and stay with me.”

“I will, as soon as I can, love.”


	3. Three - Afire Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three was originally posted as chapter two, for which I apologize, so if you have already read this chapter, go back and read the real chapter two, please. It's a good one, I can't believe I missed it.

_things were all good yesterday  
_ _then the devil took your breath away  
_ _and now we’re left here in the pain  
_ _black suit  
_ _black tie  
_ _standing in the rain  
_ _and now my family is one again  
_ _stapled together with the strangers and a friend  
_ _came to my mind,  
_ _I should paint it with a pen_  
_six years old,  
_ _I remember when_

Hermione looked around the room and noted that everyone was wearing dreadfully dark clothing and they looked so forlorn. It wasn't abnormal, it was a funeral, but she couldn’t help but think: _Tonks would’ve hated this_.

She would’ve wanted the survivors to celebrate the life she ended up having, her life with Remus and Teddy, and she wouldn’t want them to be sad it was over.

Well, maybe a little sad.

Teddy cooed from her arms and she looked down at him, at his blissfully unaware state that this gathering was to commemorate his parents. His parents who he’ll never get to see again.

Maybe it was better that they died while he was so young, so he has time to adjust to life without them. He can grow up without the constant pain of missing his parents.

Or perhaps it was worse, them dying while he was young, because he can grow up with the constant pain of never knowing who they were.

I guess, either way, there would be pain.

His hair changed from brown to black and he started to wail, reaching away from Hermione. She shushed him and bounced him gently, but he continued to cry. It was almost time for Harry to start Remus’ eulogy, and he was already on the side of the room, gripping the paper so tight it could rip at any moment. Harry looked apologetic as Hermione stood and left the front row to console Teddy off to the side. She pushed the binky into his mouth, hoping he would latch on and quiet down. It landed on the floor instead. Finally he quieted but only after he decided that he could suck on her finger — instead of the damn binky. For whatever reason, he preferred it.

It was good timing too, because Harry was starting to speak.

“Hey everyone, I’m glad to see all of you, although the circumstances could be better. I hope in the last week you have been able to rest now that the war is over … I know I have.”

There was a small amount of giggling, and Hermione smiled a little.

“Even though we are safe doesn’t mean it didn’t come with consequences, one of which being the death of my long-time friend Remus Lupin, and his wife Tonks. While death is not something to take lightly, I am comforted but he fact that they died together, fighting for a better world for their son.

“Remus taught me many things, not only as a professor, but as a man. Many of you know he was inflicted with lycanthropy, that he was a werewolf, and while that could easily be something that could depress any person, and it did, he found his light in helping us as our teacher and in Tonks. I am proud to call him my friend. I am proud to be the godfather of their son. I am proud of everything he’s done.

“I wish he were still here with us, guiding us through this rough time, but I trust that he is happier, reunited with his best friends and family.”

Harry stepped away and took his place in between Hermione and Ron. Andromeda was supposed to speak now, give the eulogy for Tonks, and Hermione felt her stand slowly. She was slow but she was shaking as she stood and turned to face the room. She stared at the room, lips trembling. She had Tonks’ eulogy written out on a piece of parchment, but she couldn’t seem to speak. Passing Teddy to Harry, Hermione stood and approached her with concern.

“Dromeda, do you want to do this?”

“I — I can’t say goodbye to my daughter,” she whispered, looking at Hermione with horror. “Then she’ll really be gone.”

“She’ll never be completely gone, Dromeda. She’ll always be with you in your heart and in Teddy,” Hermione whispered back. The older woman nodded, but she handed the speech to Hermione and moved to sit down. Hermione turned and faced the people, all wondering what had just happened, although she was wondering the same thing.

“Uhm, I guess I’ll read the eulogy that Andromeda prepared for Tonks … with a heavy heart I say goodbye to my loving daughter, a daughter who could make anyone laugh and with a heart bigger than herself. She left behind her beautiful son, Teddy, who doesn’t understand why she’s gone … but I know we will tell him stories down the road.

“Nymphadora had a unique personality, but it was her best asset. It was what Remus found most wonderful about her. Her lightness, her joy. It complimented the darkness in him beautifully.

“Although I miss my daughter constantly, I see her in Teddy every day. I see her in my dreams. I see her smile and I see her happiness. I know all of you saw it too. She died fighting among friends and family, fighting for her son. In the end, we got the happier life she wanted, even though she isn’t here to live it.” Hermione finished, refolding the parchment and wiping a tear away.

*.*.*.*.*

In between funerals and visits to Azkaban, Hermione decided to begin her work at Hogwarts. She had been assigned to help with the library, and upon her entrance, Madame Pince walked up to her and grasped her hands. “Finally, a person I can trust!” Hermione laughed a little and smiled at the older woman. “I am serious, I have the other helpers simply putting bookshelves back together, you can do real work!”

“Okay, where would you like me to begin?”

Madame Pince showed her a large stack of books of various sizes and topics, and she told Hermione that it was her job to go through each of them, repair any damage like ripped pages or burned covers, and place them in the correct pile based on topic.

After a few hours of working in silence, Hermione turned and saw Ginny standing behind her. She smiled at her and said hi.

“Hey Gin,” Hermione greeted her. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m checking on you,” she replied. “And I wanted to know what other funerals this week besides Fred’s.”

“Well, Ron asked if I’d go to Lavendar’s funeral with him, but I told him that would be weird. I mean, we were competing for the same boy at one point.”

“For like two months, you were roommates for six years!”

Hermione grimaced, “I know, it’s a stupid excuse. I just feel weird about it, y’know?”

Ginny shrugged, “I guess I understand. But I’m going, practically your whole year is going, it was horrible how she died, and I think you should come. I’m not denying that you’ll probably feel a little awkward, but you should still come.”

Hermione nodded, feeling more than a little dumb. “Alright, alright I’ll go … I know Harry is going to a lot of them, but I don’t think I have the energy to sit through all of them. My … my rock is stuck in the worst place on earth and I’m barely keeping it together as it is. My mum won’t stop hovering and my dad stays with me until I’m asleep just like when I was a kid.”

“I get that. I can’t sleep great either. I also keep trying to mentally prepare myself for Friday, but I think I’ll never be ready.”

“I’m sorry, I made this about me and my problems when you lost your brother …”

“‘Mione, everyone has stuff right now, don’t feel bad, okay?” Ginny said, hugging Hermione comfortingly. “I know that next week, when all these funerals are over, we’ll start to push forward and move on a little.”

“Hopefully things happen like you say, I need to take some steps forward, even if they’re baby steps.”

“That’s all we can do right now, baby steps.”

*.*.*.*.*

The day of Fred’s funeral, it rained. Everyone huddled together in the backyard, their cloaks whipping with the wind and their eyes puffy from the tears. Molly stood, with the assistance of Arthur and Charlie, and she held onto George’s hand tightly. It was their agreement that they would hold each other’s hand throughout the funeral, and if one squeezed, they would go inside the Burrow instead. No one expected either of them to speak, so instead Lee Jordan and Percy were going to give speeches.

Percy still held himself responsible for Fred’s death, for causing him to lose focus and not notice the curse hurtling towards him, and the guilt was eating him alive. He hadn’t really slept since the Battle and he only ate to quell the hunger pains. If Hermione didn’t know any better, she’d say he was trying to kill himself too.

When it was Percy’s time to speak, he turned towards his family and started with “Everyone here … everyone here —”

But when he made direct eye contact with his mother, he burst into tears and sobbed into his hands. Ginny shook silently in between Ron and Hermione, her older brother’s meltdown causing her own. Arthur stepped forward to provide some sympathy and tell him it was okay, but George was the one who made it to Percy first, surprisingly. He placed a hand on Percy’s shoulder, causing his wails to only become louder, and pulled him into a hug.

“Perce, it’s okay. It’s okay,” George hushed him. “I know … I know you think it is all your fault, but it’s not.” Percy’s cries softened as his brother rubbed his back.

After maneuvering Percy to his abandoned spot next to their mother, George returned to stand before everyone. He sighed, ran his hands through his hair, and sighed again.

“Everyone here knew Fred was best at making people laugh. He came up with jokes faster than anything and he always knew the right thing to say,” he chuckles, “we argued over who came up with the idea to run off and make a joke shop, we bantered back and forth for years … but I’m here to tell you it was Fred’s idea. He always did have the best ideas …” George trailed off, looking away at the pond. “The night of the battle he said to me how proud he was to call me his brother because I was the one who told everyone it was time to help Harry and fight, no questions asked. He said he was always proud of me and my inventions.”

There was silence, followed by a lone hiccup emitted from Percy, which prompted George to continue. “I’m not … ready to be without you, Fred. I didn’t know the only time I’d get to see you old was when the age potion backfired in 6th year, I didn’t know … I — I miss you so much,” he whispered, “you were the best brother anyone could’ve asked for, you know that, right?”

Sniffing back some of the tears, George approached his mum, took her hand, and squeezed it. She nodded and together, they walked back to the Burrow in silence.


	4. Four - Don't Blame Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, I'd love to know how you are enjoying the story, so please please please comment!! They make me so happy. :)

_for you, I would cross the line  
_ _I would waste my time  
_ _I would lose my mind_  
_they say  
_ _she’s gone too far this time_

“I hope you don’t mind that I brought Harry with me today, but it is his job to tell the Ministry that you two deserve to be free,” Hermione stated matter-of-factly.

Narcissa and Draco didn’t say anything, so Harry continued, “I told Kingsley, privately, about your actions during the break in the battle, Mrs. Malfoy, and how I wouldn’t be alive without your choice to lie to Tom.”

“Thank you …” Narcissa seemed dazed, taking in the information slowly.

“I also told Kingsley, although he and many others saw it, that you, Draco, provided me with the wand that allowed me to defeat Tom, because my own had been broken.”

Draco looked at Hermione dubiously, “Did you tell him to do this?”

She chuckled, “No, no, Harry’s just really good at forgiving people.”

Harry smiled, “Kingsley believes that the easiest way to free you from Azkaban is for me to attend the hearing where I say exactly what I just told you and he gets to declare you ‘guilty by association’ — however, you will be watched very closely for three months. It will be a form of parole where you need to check in biweekly and refrain from associating yourselves with other Death Eaters and not break any of the Ministry’s rules.”

Narcissa looked at her son, then Hermione, and back to Harry. “Thank you, Mr. Potter.”

“Oh, call me Harry — but that’s not all.”

“What’s left?”

Harry looked at Hermione, who squeezed Draco’s hand reassuringly before whispering, “Your father.”

“… What about him?”

“He didn’t exactly commit any actions that could lead to redemption,” Harry said cautiously.

Narcissa sighed slowly, “He could simply not accept that we were on the wrong side of history. What could happen to him?”

“Well there’s a couple of options. One, he could easily be given the Dementor’s Kiss for his work with Tom.” Narcissa visibly shuddered at this and Draco placed a hand on her arm. “Two, he could spend 10 to 15 years in Azkaban or it could be up to the rest of his life. A jury would decide.”

“Why are you telling us the options? Haven’t you made a decision?”

“I don’t feel comfortable making a decision about Lucius’ life — I think you know him best and you could decide which punishment would be the most logical.”

“He would be completely wrecked if he knew that I believed he deserved the Kiss.” Draco mumbled, pressing Hermione closer to his side as if she was a barrier between himself and his mother. He didn’t want to see the facial expression on her face that was caused by this confession.

“That’s why it would appear to be my recommendation,” Harry explained. “When it’s the word of The Boy Who Lived Twice, they have to believe it.”

Narcissa watched as Hermione rubbed circles on the back of one of Draco’s hand and as Draco ran his fingers through the tips of her hair gently. The two of them would never be free to love one another with Lucius alive and well and running the Malfoy Estate. “A jury would be likely to find him guilty of at least some wrongdoing, which would likely lead to years in Azkaban …”

“Yes,” Harry nodded in agreement.

She eventually nodded, accepting the fact that she was virtually sentencing her husband to Azkaban for life with one word: “Okay.”

*.*.*.*.*

It was the night before Draco and Narcissa’s hearing and Hermione was still organizing and repairing the scattered books in the library. She felt pretty useless — which was a fair bet — because there was nothing she can do. Being in the library and doing her job was the only thing that kept her mind preoccupied, and Madame Pince was grateful for the assistance.

“Knock, knock,” someone said softly behind her.

Twirling around, Hermione grinned and said, “Ron, what are you doing here?”

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Ron shrugged. “I wanted to check on you before tomorrow. Plus, Harry’s been in one of his moods all day and I needed a break.” She gave him a look. “Hey, I have been doing really well at providing empathy, but he’s being real moody.”

She rolled her eyes at his response, “I’m fine, Ronald. I’m just nervous and I can’t do anything about it. It’s all up to Harry.”

“If you testified, would it make things worse?”

“If I testified, our relationship would be thrown around and my word would mean absolutely nothing. It would be considered biased.”

“But you’re still gonna attend the hearings tomorrow?”

“Oh yes, I will be there, sitting dutifully on the sidelines,” she sighed in exasperation.

“Okay,” Ron nodded, “what time should I be there?”

This stopped her movements abruptly. “You’re coming?” She didn’t mean to sound so surprised but it just came out that way.

He chuckled, “I figured the more support he receives from us, the more acceptance he will get later. Besides, Luna asked me if she could come too.”

She grinned and shelved the last book, “… be there at 8:45.”

*.*.*.*.*

Draco and Narcissa entered the courtroom together, and their footsteps echoed loudly as they walked across the stone floor. They were led to the two chairs in the center of the round stone floor, and as they sat, they were magically bound to the chairs. There were whispers and stares amongst the 50 or so wizards clad in plum-colored robes, and the audience, consisting mostly of journalists, in the stands above were muttering to themselves. Word of Harry’s testimony must have gotten out.

“Order … order, please!” Kingsley banged the gavel on the ledge in front of him. “With the accused present, let’s begin. Punitive Hearing on the eighteenth of May in 1998 into offenses committed by Mr. Draco Lucius Malfoy and Ms. Narcissa Malfoy, née Black, as followers of Lord Voldemort.” As Kingsley relayed to the names and jobs of many of the witches and wizards in the Wizengamot, Draco looked to his left and caught Hermione’s eye. She tried her best to smile encouragingly, but it came out more like a grimace. Luna squeezed her hand comfortingly, and Hermione was suddenly so grateful for her presence. Harry sat at the edge of his seat on the bench next to her and waited for his introduction to the court.

“Now, on to the charges. The charges against the accused are as follows: that they knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the immorality of their actions, contributed to the reign of terror started by Lord Voldemort through torture, kidnapping, and the use of the Unforgivable Curses. In addition, it was your house that the Dark Lord resided in, meaning you harbored a known criminal for months. These were not criminal actions under the last Minister of Magic, Pius Thicknesse; however, corruption runs deep within this Ministry and I am eager to rid it of the remaining amoral members. Any knowledge you may have is welcomed by me and will be taken into account. I am also aware of the testimony that Mr. Harry James Potter will say on each of your behalf’s.”

Although Draco hardly paid any attention to Lord Voldemort’s ramblings during his meetings, it appeared that Narcissa had. She recited names, a few that caused doubt and fear to flit across Kingsley’s face, and one of the Ministry officials immediately left the courtroom with the list, presumably to locate them.

“At this time, I call Harry Potter to the floor.”

Harry stood from his seat and walked down to the floor. He told the story of how he awoke in the forest with Narcissa standing over him. He explained that Voldemort asked her if he was alive, to which she lied to him upon hearing that Draco was alive in the castle. “If Ms. Malfoy hadn’t lied to Him, I would not have been able to kill Him later. She did what any mother would do for her child. I owe her a debt of gratitude.”

Hermione noted that many of the middle-aged women in the courtroom softened their hard gazes and made note of that on the parchment. That was the reaction they had been hoping for when practicing Harry’s testimony.

He continued to explain that he didn’t have a wand as his own had broken months prior, and he had accidentally dropped the wand that Ron had given him while destroying the Ravenclaw diadem. “If Draco hadn’t thrown me his wand when I revealed myself to be alive, I wouldn’t have had a way to kill Him. This was the moment when Draco officially switched sides.”

Given the new information provided by Harry, the Wizengamot glanced around at each other. Hermione couldn’t tell what they were thinking, and her heart pounded in her chest.

“Those in favor of conviction?” A third of the Wizengamot raised their hands, and Hermione tried to count how many had voted but they were brought down too fast.

“And those in favor of clearing Ms. Malfoy and Mr. Malfoy of all charges?” The rest of the Wizengamot raised their hands, Kingsley included.

“Very well … you have been cleared … of _all_ charges,” Kingsley declared. Hermione let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and stood with Harry, Ron and Luna. The magical bindings released Draco and Narcissa, allowing them to stand and thank the Wizengamot for their decision.

Even with the journalists surrounding the floor, Hermione rushed out of the stands and threw her arms around Draco’s neck the moment he saw her. He hesitated at first but then she squeezed her arms tighter, and he gave in, burying his face into her hair and wrapping his arms around her waist. They heard the shutter of the magical cameras and the murmurs of the reporters, but it didn’t matter anymore.

Harry gave them a moment, and then approached them. Hermione released Draco only partly, keeping one arm tightly around his torso, and turned to Harry. He smiled and held something out to Draco. “Figured you might want this back,” he said sheepishly.

Realizing it was his wand, his _real_ _wand_ , Draco grinned and took it from Harry’s hand. “Thank you …” Placing it in his pocket, he held his hand out for Harry to shake. “Thank you for everything.” Harry shook his hand, and Hermione couldn’t help but think that this was the start of a potential friendship.

*.*.*.*.*

“So I hear you’re going to be stuck in Azkaban for a long time.”

The outline of Lucius Malfoy stirred from the back of his cell at the sound of Hermione’s voice. He barely moved but he wouldn’t remain silent as he was attacked by a stupid Mudblood. “What’s it matter to you?” He barked at her.

“It only matters because your days of causing your family mental, emotional, and physical pain … are over.”

“I should be able to reap the benefits of Narcissa’s odious acts of treason against the Dark Lord!” He yelled at her, his yellowing teeth glinting in the candlelight.

She scoffed, “Why? It was _her_ choice, _you_ had _nothing_ to do with it.”

“Because we are a _family_. We always were a family.”

“From what I understand …” she spoke slowly, “you are no longer considered to be a part of the new and improved Malfoy family.”

Lucius grinned, “And just how would you know that, Mudblood?”

With the word carved into her skin, she no longer jumped or flinched or showed any emotion when the M-word is flung in her direction. She knew that if Lucius was using that word, he was trying to keep afloat in the conversation. “Because your son is better than you.”

“He is a coward.”

“He is the man _you_ will never be.”

“He is not a man, he’s a boy who will come to his senses about you, you pitiful woman.”

“Pitiful? You’re the one who will be living in this wretched place for actions that you refused to admit were wrong. You cannot even begin to imagine the years of pain you’re about to experience.”

“One day, you will experience a similar pain. But until then …”

Although it was a clear threat, Hermione laughed at him. “Goodbye Lucius, I won’t miss you.”


	5. Five - Finding You

_I wanna lay in your arms  
_ _when the world is burning  
_ _I wanna dig in your heart  
_ _take away your hurting_  
_kiss me and tell me I’m fine  
_ _and forget we’re dying_

Draco came home with Hermione to her parents’ house, seeing as he did not want to spend another minute in the Malfoy Manor. Narcissa was hesitant to let him out of her sight, but she agreed it was best for them to not step foot in that house until it was flooded with Holy Water or burned to the ground and rebuilt.

It was a quiet evening, complete with a home cooked meal, a soft bed, and sweet Hermione. Jean made cookies to celebrate Draco’s release, her special recipe that included mega chocolate chunks and peanut butter, and he ate five.

Thomas and Jean were surprisingly okay with him not taking the guest room and instead sleeping in Hermione’s room. (She expected her father to be resistant, but he didn’t say anything.) Having only grabbed a few articles of clothing from his dormitory at Hogwarts, he didn’t have any real pajamas, so he dressed in a long-sleeve uniform shirt and transfigured it to a soft cotton long-sleeve shirt and only wore his boxers on his bottom half. Hermione put on her pajamas in the bathroom after taking a shower, so when she came back her hair was wet and smelled like flowers.

Settling into bed, they wrapped their arms around each other and took deep breaths, somewhat unable to calm down from the day it had been.

“Hermione love, what’s wrong, you’ve been kind of quiet and tense all night,” Draco mused, pressing his lips to her shoulder lightly.

She sighed, “I’m not … I don’t want to ruin your first night of freedom.”

He chuckled, “You can’t ruin it, why, what’s wrong?”

She breathed into his chest and bit lip, “I have to tell you something, and it’s … well it’s — it’s not exactly good.”

“Hermione you’re scaring me — what’s wrong?”

“You remember … November right? We were here and we were kinda … careless and we — you know.”

“Yeah … I remember.”

Hermione looked up and smiled sadly. “Well I … I realized in December that I was pregnant.”

He looked at her, and he looked at her, and he finally said, “… what?”

“Yeah I … I was.”

“Was? When did …” Draco trailed off, eyes and hands traveling down to her stomach.

She nodded and talked quietly but quickly, “Yeah uh, late in January, I wasn’t eating enough and we were all stressed and I started cramping one day and I knew …” she took a breath. “I told Harry I was going to walk around and instead I went to the nearest hospital. They did the procedure and … that was it.”

“Oh — my …”

“They made me stay an extra two hours, and they asked if I wanted her remains cremated or in a container to bury myself. Must’ve been a religious hospital.” She chuckled to hide the tears forming. “Anyway I took them and buried the box in the forest near where we were hiding.”

He was tracing circles on her tummy, eyebrows drawn together. “… her?”

She clenched her eyes shut and reopened them slowly, “I didn’t mean to tell you that. I’m —”

“It was a girl?” His voice cracked, and a tear fell. She nodded slowly. “‘Mione, I’m ... I’m so sorry.” He hugged her tightly, never wanting to let go. “I don’t know … what to …”

“I know ... I didn’t either. I haven’t told anyone.”

He sniffed and kissed her forehead. “No one else knows?”

“No,” she shook her head, “and she’s still buried in the Forest of Dean.”

"Do … how do you feel about going there?”

She didn’t respond immediately. “I … still think about those two months where I thought I was going to be having a baby, your baby. Where in the beginning I couldn’t decide if it was a good idea and what if I … got rid of it but I didn’t know any way other than a trip to a hospital, and I didn’t think I could pull that off. Where I couldn’t stop crying and, and laughing at the irony of it. Where I found myself missing you more than ever before. I wanted to tell you, I wanted to keep her, but I guess … nature had other plans. So, going there …” She trailed off, not really answering.

“It wouldn’t have been safe ... not during a war.”

“No probably not,” she sighed, “doesn’t stop the way I felt. I came back from the hospital and I put up a show for Harry and Ron and then it was my turn for watch and cried for hours in the snow. I felt numb, I couldn’t move, I ached. I felt like a failure —”

“You are _not_ a failure, Hermione,” Draco said firmly, holding one of her hands in his.

“Then why do I feel like one?”

“You feel like this because it’s normal to feel like this after losing a baby.”

“It wasn’t even a baby, it was an 9-week-old fetus that couldn’t think! It’s heart was beating but it couldn’t hear me, I never felt it move or, or or kick. Why was I so attached to her?” She cried into his chest and squeezed his hands tight.

“Oh ‘Mione …” he kissed her forehead and her cheeks. “‘Mione I love you, I can’t imagine what you’re feeling but I’m sure it is normal! Right now we can mourn her because you couldn’t do it five months ago. It will get better every day.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” She mumbled and sniffed back the rest of her tears. “See, I did ruin your first night home.”

“You didn’t ruin it,” he smiled sadly and kissed her. “I love you and I want to help you through this. Because we’re going to get through everything together, right?”

“Right,” she murmured, settling back down in bed. She felt better, having shared this secret that dragged her down for months, but she also felt worse, having told Draco the some of the worst news a person could receive. But he was still next to her, telling her all the right things and being patient with her pain. It was all she could want.

*.*.*.*.*

It took a few days before Hermione felt like herself again. With Draco by her side, she felt like she was able to lower her guard and let herself be sad. They mourned together, for those who died in the war and for the baby, they slept a lot, usually upstairs hidden in her room but they did nap on the couch once or twice, and they talked, sharing what happened in the last year and expressing their hopes for the future.

Her parents noticed that they were practically glued together and how their daughter seemed more relaxed than the days before. This man, with the odd hair and the interesting tattoo on his forearm, who was so polite and thankful for them allowing him to stay in their house, in their daughter’s room _— this man_ , Jean decided, was was allowed to stay forever.

“I think your parents like me,” Draco said from her bed, reading the _Prophet_.

She snorted a laugh while standing in her closet, trying to find a shirt to wear. “What could have possibly given you that idea?”

He chuckled, flipping the page. “No, I mean they _actually_ like me. Your mum said something yesterday to the affect of me being the best thing to ever happen to you.”

“Wow, she puts a lot of faith in you,” Hermione commented.

“Is she wrong?” He asked smugly.

She threw one of the shirts at him but laughed. “I suppose not.”

“There’s a lot of rumours in the Prophet about us.”

“Oh well.”

“Lot about Harry too.”

“Like?”

“What he’ll do next, what he has been doing, _who_ he has been doing —”

“Oh goodness,” she laughed, pulling a shirt over her head. “As far as I know, he hasn’t _done_ anyone.”

“I thought he was getting back together with Ginny.”

Walking back into the room and snatching the paper from his hands, Hermione sighed, “We all thought the war was going to end and the next thing would be him and Ginny getting back together. Instead, he seems to be avoiding her to the best of his ability. She is being more patient than I would be.”

“It’s a good thing we’re on the same page, then,” he grinned, leaning in to kiss her.

“Oh I suppose,” she giggled, meeting his lips in the middle.

“HERMIONE!” He mother shouted from downstairs, causing them to stop. “How did your friend just come out of our fireplace?”

“Has no one ever Flooed here before?” Draco asked.

Hermione frowned. “I don’t think so. I don’t know why she said friend and not their name.”

“Maybe it’s a surprise.”

“Ha, I doubt that. I’ll go, you finish up here. Do you want tea?”

“No, thanks though.”

Hermione walked down the stairs and smiled when she saw Ron. “Mum, he used the Floo system. It works through fireplaces,” she explained.

“Like Santa Claus!” Thomas exclaimed.

“Sure Dad. Come with me,” she gestured for Ron to follow her into the kitchen. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to check in on you.”

“Oh you Weasleys, always checking on people,” she teased, grabbing a cup from the cupboard. “Do you want any tea?”

“‘Mione.”

“I’ll take that as a no,” she said pointedly, pouring hot water over the tea bags. “Ron, we’re fine. We’re grieving and we’re —”

“We? Malfoy’s here too?” He asked, not sounding surprised.

“Apparently, there’s a consensus of people who don’t want to step foot in the Malfoy Manor. I don’t even think Narcissa is staying there,” Hermione smiled, steeping her tea. “How’re you doing?”

Ron shrugged and smiled a little. “I’m actually doing okay. Kingsley came to Harry and me to tell us that he’s offering everyone who fought in the battle jobs as Aurors. We still have to do the two-year training but we don’t have to take the NEWTs or anythin’ to get in.”

“And you want to be an Auror?” She asked, sipping her tea to test the temperature.

“I don’t know, maybe. It would be a good thing to do, and there’s always going to be bad people out there.”

“I suppose … I think it’d be good.”

“Are you sure?”

She laughed, “Why do you ask? I know I don’t want to do it, but if you want to, I think it would provide for a good life.”

“What would you do? He’d probably offer you a different job, maybe in the Magical Creatures area, because that’s so important to you.”

She smiled big, happy that even though S.P.E.W. was a whole other lifetime ago, that Ron remembered it. “I would appreciate the job offer, but I wouldn’t take it. I’m not going to take a job that I don’t deserve.”

“‘Deserve’? ‘Mione you helped take down the worst wizard in history, you deserve everything.”

She chuckled, “That’s not what I mean. I would … go back to Hogwarts, I think.”

“Go back? Why?”

Draco’s head popped around the corner to the kitchen and she smiled at him. Ron turned to see him and they nodded to each other. Draco planted a kiss to her forehead and moved to get his own breakfast.

“To have some normalcy,” she said, and then added, “and a year where no one dies.”

*.*.*.*.*

About a week after Draco “came home” and Hermione told him about the miscarriage, they laid in bed together quietly, just taking each other in. The window was open a bit, letting in the sounds of the street and the birds chirping as well as the morning sunlight. Her parents had gone out, trying to reclaim their office space to resume their dentistry.

Draco ran his hand up and down her arm lightly, looking at her intensely. She smiled a little and placed her hand lightly on his chest. Anticipating her movement of pushing him away, he withdrew his hand and settled on holding hers to his chest.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered.

“I’m right here,” she teased back, voice similarly low in volume.

“I mean —”

“I know what you mean,” she nodded and traced his jawline with her finger. He almost shuddered at the lightness of it. “I didn’t want to push you.”

He chuckled, “Are you kidding, I didn’t want to force you into anything —”

“You could never force me,” she murmured. “I’ll always want to be with you.”

“Thank Merlin,” he growled and pulled her closer by her hips. Despite his desire to _have her_ , he claimed her lips slowly, almost caressing them with his own. They hadn’t partaken in any fierce displays of affection since their first kiss after the battle, so they were slow, gentle, loving to one another. At first.

Having not been _together_ in six months, the need to be one was very strong, overwhelmingly so. Slow hands became quicker and calm breaths became frenzied with every passing second. Clothes were peeled from bodies and kisses were planted in sacred places.

Afterward, resting comfortably in each other’s arms, Hermione traced the swirls of the Dark Mark on his forearm. “This doesn’t mean anything anymore, you know that, right?”

“Neither does your’s,” he whispered in her ear, running his thumb over her scars that spell _Mudblood_.

*.*.*.*.*

“Hey Hermione, do you have a minute?” Neville poked his head around the corner of a repaired bookcase and smiled at the woman in question.

“I have all the time in the world for you Neville,” she grinned, “how’re the greenhouses?”

“Professor Sprout is working overtime to clean it up and fix the plants that were ruined. I think she appreciates my help.”

“I’m sure she does.”

“I have been thinking about … the school year and Hogwarts and the future and I thought coming to you might help … because you’ve already made decisions.”

“Who said I have?” she teased and he laughed. “But you’re right, we have made decisions.”

“We, as in you and Draco?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry, I thought you would be okay with me talking about him.”

“No, you’re fine, I was just double checking. What are your decisions?”

“We’re talking about you, Neville.” She sing-songed pushing the stack of books to the side. “What are you stuck on?”

“Kingsley offered me a position on this year’s Auror Training Team, and he wants an answer before July 1st, and … I don’t have one. I want my parents and Gran to be proud of me, and being an Auror is something to be proud about.”

“But …”

“But, uh, I don’t want to be an Auror.”

Hermione laughed, “Okay, what do you _want_ to do?”

“I’ve always loved herbology. I think I want to become a herbologist and that requires actually finishing school.”

“Come back to Hogwarts with us, Neville. It’ll be a great time because no one will die!” They laughed heartily, genuinely happy at the thought.

His laughter subsided, and he looked thoughtful for a moment. “Hey, when you came to Potions that day almost a year ago, wearing a Slytherin tie, were you with him way back then too?”

She blushed and giggled out a laugh, “Yes, that was his tie. He was very concerned you would say something.”

“Oh really, he was worried that me, commonly called ‘pathetic Sneville,’ would grow some balls and say something?”

She frowned, “He really gave you a hard time, I know, but he thought you were holding your own and he thought Snape always went a little overboard on terrorizing you.”

“I’ll believe it when I hear it Hermione.”

“Okay, I’ll tell him and you two can hash it out.”

“I’m forgiving ‘Mione, you saw me and Luna approach the Slytherins, some of who laughed at us, so it only goes so far.”

“I understand,” she nodded, “but I think you have it in you.”

*.*.*.*.*

It was a particularly hot June day at Hogwarts and all the witches and wizards were working hard to help rebuild the interior of the castle.

Lunch time rolled around and everyone sat in the shade provided by the trees on the lawn by the Black Lake while they ate. The House Elves continually provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the workers, and today lunch consisted of sandwiches and fresh fruit.

“You know what sounds really good right now?” Ginny said, mouth full of strawberries.

“Closing your mouth?” Hermione suggested with a tilt of her head.

“Ha ha,” Ginny said, showing off the food in her mouth even more. “No, I was thinking a swim in the lake would be awesome.”

“Yeah it would,” Ron agreed.

“What, are you suggesting we just jump in the lake, clothes and all?” Hermione asked.

“Well it’s broad daylight so skinny dipping is probably out of the question,” Draco teased.

Ginny barked out a laugh while Ron made a face. Neville and Luna approached, hand in hand. Hermione grinned at the sight.

“Neville, Luna, what do you say to a swim in the lake?” Ron asked them.

“When?” Neville asked.

“What about the mer-people?” Luna wondered. “I don’t want to infringe on their home.”

Ginny smiled at the blonde. “We won’t swim in their area. It’ll be safe for them.”

Luna gave it a few seconds’ thought and then nodded, smiling. Neville nodded with her, clearly ready to do whatever she wanted to make her happy,

“Okay ‘Mione, you’re the only one who hasn’t made a decision — what’ll it be?” Draco asked, nudging her with his shoulder and pulling on her curls lightly.

She laughed at his childlike antics and said, “I guess I don’t want to be left out!”

Ginny cheered, and they quickly finished their food. ”This is gonna be so much fun!” She was the first to run towards the water and jump in with a fantastic splash. The rest quickly joined her.

However, Hermione merely walked to the water and stuck her toes in. “Is it cold?”

“It’s fine!” Ron shouted before diving under the waves.

“Oh my God, Hermione, just jump in!” Ginny cried.

“C’mon!” Draco laughed and pulled himself out of the lake. He came for her, a playful smile dancing on his lips. She shrieked and tried to get away but his Seeker reflexes caught her quickly. He picked her up and threw her into the water.

Coming back up for air and paddling around for a moment, Hermione sighed. “Yeah, I guess this is pretty nice.” Ginny rolled her eyes and splashed her.


End file.
